Race to an end: since the beginning
There's a timeless appeal to "race to the end" board games. The concept is simple, primal even: be the first to move all your pieces from a starting point to a finish line. It's a structure that has captivated players for millennia, and few games embody this ancient tradition better than Senet.
Senet, originating from ancient Egypt, is one of the oldest known board games. At its core, it's a straightforward race across a 30-square track. Players move their pawns based on the roll of casting sticks (or modern dice), navigating a simple path. The strategy comes from blocking opponents and positioning your pawns on special "safe" or "trap" squares. The goal isn't just to reach the end, but to bear all your pieces off the board. It's a game of patience, luck, and a surprising amount of tactical depth for its age.
Inspired by this classic formula, I've been developing my own variant, a game that takes the foundational board of Senet and injects it with a higher degree of risk, chaos, and thematic peril. I'm calling it Senet: Path of Peril.
Game Rules: Senet: Path of Peril
Objective: Be the first player to guide one of your seven pawns through all thirty squares and successfully exit the board.
Gameplay Rules
Rolling the Die: On your turn, roll a standard six-sided die (d6).
Movement:
- If you roll a 1, 2, or 3, you must move one of your pawns on the board forward that many squares.
Summoning a Pawn (Ludo-style):
If you roll a 4, 5, or 6, you have a choice: either move a pawn already on the board OR summon a new pawn from your reserve.
To summon, place a new pawn on the board. A roll of 4 places it on Square 1, a 5 on Square 2, and a 6 on Square 3. You can only summon if the destination square is unoccupied.
Capture: If your move lands you on a square occupied by an opponent's pawn, their pawn is captured and permanently removed from the game.
Restrictions: You cannot land on a square that is already occupied by one of your own pawns.
The Special Squares of Peril
The true heart of the game lies in the final squares of the board.
Square 15: The Ankh of Rebirth
- When you land here, you are granted a blessing. Immediately take one pawn from your reserve and place it on any empty starting square (1, 2, or 3).
Square 26: The Vulture's Perch
Landing here forces a sacrifice to the heavens. Roll the die:
1-4: You have displeased the gods. You must choose one of your own pawns on the board and remove it from the game.
5-6: The gods favor you. You may choose one of your opponent's pawns and remove it from the game.
Square 27: The River of Oblivion
This square triggers a devastating flood! All pawns on the board (including the one that just landed) are swept back to the start. Roll the die again for each pawn to determine where it lands:
1-2: The pawn is washed ashore at Square 1.
3-4: The pawn is washed ashore at Square 2.
5-6: The pawn is washed ashore at Square 3.
(If a destination square is full, the pawn moves to the next available starting square).
Square 28: Trial of the three gods
Your pawn's soul is weighed and judged. Roll the die to determine its fate:
3: You are judged worthy! Your pawn passes the trial and you win the game instantly!
1, 2, 4, 5, or 6: You have failed the trial. Your pawn is cast back to the square number you just rolled (e.g., rolling a 5 sends it back to Square 5).
Square 29: The Eye of Judgment
- This is a deadly, final trap. Any pawn that lands on this square is immediately judged, captured, and removed from the game.
Winning the Game
Square 30: The Gates of Aaru
To win, you must first land a pawn on Square 30. This does not end the game.
On each of your following turns, your pawn must remain at the Gates while you roll the die.
If you roll a 6, your pawn passes through the Gates of the afterlife and you win the game!
BEWARE: While your pawn is waiting on Square 30, it is vulnerable and can be captured by an opponent, forcing you to start the final trial over with a new pawn.
